Tonsils are full of indentations, crevices, and folds. These are areas which can trap matter such as bacteria, food particles, dead cells and mucous. This matter collects as debris, which can harden or calcify into white formations called tonsil stones, or commonly known as tonsilloliths. Tonsil stones (tonsilloliths) have been plaguing humans for a long time.
Tonsil stones are sometimes visible in the tonsils as a lump of solid white material, or may sometimes be hidden in the indentations, crevices and folds of the tonsils.
Tonsil stones which are not removed and reside in the tonsils may result in numerous health and social problems. These include:    (i) Bad breath. The mouth provides perfect conditions for bacteria to multiply, whereby the bacteria acts on the debris/tonsil stones to decay the debris/tonsil stones, resulting in particularly bad breath.    (ii) Cough and sore throat. Tonsil stones, providing the food source for bacteria to multiply, can trigger an onset of tonsillitis.    (iii) Ear pain. As the ear and throat share nerve pathways, a person may experience referred ear pain from tonsil stones developing anywhere in the tonsils.    (iv) Tonsil swelling. As more tonsil stones collect within the tonsil, the tonsil itself may swell or become larger.
Known solutions to treat or remove tonsil stones include (i) the removal of the tonsils; (ii) using cotton-swabs, cotton-buds or q-tips to push the tonsil stones out; (iii) using a toothpick or dental pick to dig the tonsil stones out; or (iv) using mouth wash or other oral gargles to mask foul bad breath. However, these solutions are ineffective, or have considerable risks, as outlined in the following paragraphs.
The removal of tonsils, or tonsillectomy, is not a preferred option by most doctors and ENT (ear nose and throat) specialists, unless the circumstances necessitate it. This is because it requires surgery and the associated costs and risks of surgery (as tonsillectomies require the patient to undergo general anesthesia). There is also pain and difficulties in swallowing experienced by the patient following a tonsillectomy. Such procedures also require the aid of third parties (i.e. medical professionals).
Using cotton-swabs, cotton-buds or q-tips may push the tonsil stones deeper into the crevice or folds of the tonsil, thus making the tonsil stone more difficult to remove. Even if the tonsil stone is on the surface of the tonsil, the use of cotton-swabs or buds may merely push the tonsil stone to the back of the throat, where the tonsil stone would need to washed down the throat for the stomach to digest. There is a risk also that the cotton-swabs, the cotton-buds or the q-tips may be dropped down the throat.
There is a risk that the sharp end of the toothpick or dental pick may pierce the tonsils and cause lacerations which result in bleeding. This increases the risk of infections given the presence of bacteria at the site of the tonsil stone. The toothpick or the dental pick also may have the same drawbacks associated with the cotton-swab, the cotton-bud or the q-tip. Using a toothpick or dental pick may also result in breaking-up of a tonsil stone, which may result in added surface area for bacteria to cultivate.
The use of mouth wash or other oral gargles merely treats the symptoms of tonsil stones, specifically, the presence of bad breath. It does not remove the actual tonsil stone which will continue to reside in the tonsil.
Thus, the solutions available do not allow a person who has tonsil stones to safely remove the whole tonsil stone without causing pain or inflicting upon oneself injury or infection.
US patent application no. 2007/0255290 discloses a tonsillith removing device. The device has a tube which is connected to an electric fan, where the electric fan creates suction force so that the tube can remove tonsil stones. However, the device is not portable as it is powered through an electric plug which is connected to power mains. The tip of the tube of the device also does not allow for degree of movement which would allow for the tube of the device to be inserted at different angles into the mouth. Degree of movement is necessary as crevices and holes may occur on any face of the tonsil, and the crevices and holes in the tonsils do not have similarly located or angled entrances. A person using the device may, in the process, overturn the device when trying to maneuver the device to reach his tonsils due to the tube being fixated at one angle. Overturning the device would result in saliva collecting in the device retention area and subsequently being sucked into the electric fan, thereby possibly short-circuiting the device and causing an electric shock to the user.
It would thus be desirable to have a device that is able to remove tonsil stones from the tonsil in a way which does not cause lacerations and does not require the help of a third party. It would also be desirable for the device to be portable and not confined to operate in the vicinity of power mains.